The Story of the Alberta Women's Institute

              THE

STORY

Of'

THE

ALBERTA

WOME:'\'S

INSTITt'TES

Institutes and kindred clubs throughout Canada. A federation of the four western provinces had been mooted as early as 1916. Another called for recognition of equal parental rights in the guardianship of children, another signified the approval of the Mother's Pensions Bill then before the Iiouse. Another <,sked for medical inspection of school children. First District Conferences Held In the fall of 1917 the first district conferences were held at the Schools of Agriculture at Claresholm, Olds, and VermiJion.'vIrs. 13. D. Hmnn:wn. of Carmangay, presided at Claresholm where lVII's. Beaubier made her maiden speech to the A.\V.I At OIds, Mrs. William Fleming. AtJiaJKe. presided m the unavoidable absence of Mrs. II. .1. ~lontgom. \Yetaskiwin. At Vermilion, lVII's. F. S. Grisdale presided and Mrs. J. . Frice. Peace River, who had been aopointed cjiret:tor for that area by the :\.O.visory Board. gave an address' on "The Pioneer Institute". [n 1918 the number of institutes had increased to 212 veith a membership of approximately 8,000. Patriotic' funds were supported in that veal' t.o the amount of over $:30,000. Some 32.242 articles were made f()r the Red Cross. 629 Christmas boxes were sent to men over, seas (\Jld many more to "adopted" prisoners-of-war. The 1919 Convention The 1919 Convention, held in Central Methodist Church. Ca;g(~ry rnarked a new era in \Vomen's Institute work in Alberta. The war beinf; over, the institutes turned their attention to peace-time activities in keeping with their object of serving home arid country. Fifteen Girls' Clubs were organized with Miss Bess McDermand, Assistant Superintendent Alberta Women's Institutes as their supervisor and delegates from these clubs attended the convention and held a session or two by themselves. Mrs. J. F. Price was also appointed Publicity Secretary at this convention. One hundred and thirty-nine Short Courses and 503 Demonstration Lectures had been given during the year and 30,000 bulletins on Home Nursing, Sewing, Canning and Child Welfare and food cards for infants and small children distributed. During the year, the grant for Women's Institutes was increased from $5.00 to $10.00 and provision was made for giving the Girls' Clubs an annual grant of $5.00. Miss Roberta McAdam, first A.W.I. superintedent, who had become a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta representing the men overseas, told the convention of the spread of the Women's Institute movement throughout England and Wales where even then there were 800 branches with 40,000 members, organized through the efforts of Mrs. Alfred Watt, a Canadian. Among the resolutions approved was one reiterating the request for equal parental rights, one asking for supervision of school playgrounds during noon and recess periods and one asking for free care of tubercular patients in the interests of preventing spread of the disease as well as the care of those affiicted with it. -11--